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Cereno Scientific strengthens patent protection

Cereno Scientific strengthens patent protection

2 February, 2021

Cereno Scientific’s main asset, CS1, just got a big boost in patent protection with the expansion of two different patent families. The two new patents, one in Canada and one in Russia, will contribute in giving Cereno Scientific a stronger commercial positioning. BioStock spoke with Jonas Faijerson Säljö, Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) at Cereno Scientific, to hear his take on the importance of these two patents and the company’s IPR strategy as a whole.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) defines, in broad terms, intellectual property rights (IPR) as the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time.

For pharma and biotech companies, this translates to better protection of the technology (methods, compounds, formulations, etc.) used in the development of their pharmaceutical products, and, therefore, a stronger position in the market once their products are approved by regulators.

Cereno Scientific receives two new patents

The Swedish biopharma company Cereno Scientific recently announced it has received two new patents for its clinical phase II drug candidate CS1 – a drug based on a reformulation of valproic acid aimed at treating cardiovascular diseases, including the rare disease pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The patents are part of two different patent families; one patent was granted in Canada and the other in Russia. Both are expected to contribute greatly to Cereno’s commercial opportunities moving forward and adds to the already granted patent in the major market the US.

In Canada, the patent granted belongs to Cereno’s first patent family and is titled Compounds and methods for improving impaired endogenous fibrinolysis using histone deacetylase inhibitors. This patent will be valid through 2032, with the possibility of a patent extension of additional two years maximum according to Canadian regulations.

The patent granted in the Russian market is part of Cereno’s second patent family in relation to drug candidate CS1. The patent is titled Valproic acid for the treatment or prevention of pathological conditions associated with excess fibrin deposition and/or thrombus formation. The Russian patent will be valid through 2035, with the possibility of a patent extension of additional five years maximum.

Cereno expects to initiate the phase II trial with CS1 in PAH in mid-2021, An investigational new drug (IND) application to the FDA necessary for beginning the study in the US has been initiated through a successful pre-IND advisory meeting.

For more on Cereno’s progress with the phase II study with CS1 in rare disease PAH, read more here.

»Cereno Scientific has a broad patent portfolio with many patent applications in the so-called prosecution phase. Given the recent successful developments of the patent portfolio for CS1 we expect more granted patents in the relatively near future« — Jonas Faijerson Säljö, CIPO, Cereno Scientific

IPR expert talks to BioStock

BioStock got in touch with Cereno Scientific’s IPR expert Jonas Faijerson Säljö to get a better understanding of what these patents mean for the company, especially as CS1 is in a phase II study, and why IPR is such an important part of drug development.

Jonas Faijerson Säljö, as CIPO at Cereno Scientific, could you describe your role at the company?

– I am responsible for Cereno Scientific’s IP strategy and management of the company’s IPR portfolio. This means several different things, but primarily involves to continuously evaluate our assets and technology both on a short- and long-term basis. As a research and development company, new findings are often also uncovered through for example preclinical and clinical studies that we evaluate to see if there is an opportunity to expand and extend our drugs’ patent protection.

 Generally speaking, what is IPR and why is it an important part of drug development?

– IPR, most notably patents, trademarks and trade secrets, generally represent the most valuable assets in knowledge-based companies and is for most companies an essential part of drug development. For these reasons, IPR can make a major difference in discussions with potential partners. Patents are very significant in drug development since they represent an important means to provide market exclusivity for a drug, thus protecting the significant investments that are required for launching a drug on the market.

– By having a strong patent strategy, we are both thinking about strengthening Cereno’s commercial position in potential partnering discussions and at the same time considering the longer-term perspective in relation to potential commercial competitors.

Jonas Faijerson Säljö, CIPO, Cereno Scientific

How does IPR affect discussions with potential partners for the company?

– I cannot comment on specific discussions with potential partners, but generally speaking IPR and clinical data are at the center of discussions in partnering discussions since these often represent the most valuable assets for companies in our sector.

Can you tell us, more specifically regarding these two most recently granted patents, what is their significance for Cereno Scientific and its asset CS1?

– The recently granted patents builds upon previously granted patents in e.g. the US and broaden the geographical scope of the patent protection for CS1 into two new significant markets, Canada and Russia, thus increasing the commercial value of the CS1 asset.

Finally, as Cereno moves into the deeper stages of clinical drug development, can we expect more patents granted around CS1?

– Cereno Scientific has a broad patent portfolio with many patent applications in the so-called prosecution phase. Given the recent successful developments of the patent portfolio for CS1 we expect more granted patents in the relatively near future.

The content of BioStock’s news and analyses is independent but the work of BioStock is to a certain degree financed by life science companies. The above article concerns a company from which BioStock has received financing.

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